Automatically-controlled steam-engine.



N0. 689,895. Patented D66. 3!, l90l. L. C. MALTBY. AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED STEAM ENGINE.

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(No Model.)

Snventoz Lea/(l3 0. Madi'y q/vitneoago No. 689,895. Patanted Dec. 3|, I90l.

L. C. MALTBY.

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED STEAM ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 13, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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Patented Dec. 3|, l90l. L. C. MALTBY. AUTOMATICALLY CONTRULLED STEAM ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 13, 1900.) (No Model.)

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NTTFD STATES LEWIS C. MALTBY, OF lVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO EVAN S. STOKES, TRUSTEE, OF IVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATICALLY-CONTROLLED STEAM -ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,895, dated December 1 01- Application filed November 13, 1900. Serial No. 36,396. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.- a water-compartment 2 and an oil-compart- Be it known that I, LEWIS C. MALTBY, of ment 3.

lVashington,intheDistrictofColumbia,have 4 is a steam-engine of any preferred and invented certain new and useful Improvesuitable construction, mounted on the base.

5 ments in Automatically-Controlled I-Iydro- 5 is the main shaft thereof, and 6 a pump,

carbon-Furnaces for Steam-Engines; andI do also mounted on said base and designed to be herebydeclare the followingto be afull, clear, constantly operated by an eccentric on the and exact description of the invention, such engine-shaft, the inlet-pipe'7 of said pump exas Willenable others skilled in the art to which tending down into the water-compartment 2.

to it appertains to make and use the same. The discharge-pipe 8 leads from the pump to This invention contemplates certain new the casing 9 of a feed-water regulator, and and useful improvements in automaticallyfrom thence the water is fed through a pipe controlled hydrocarbon-furnaces for steam- 10 to a boiler 12, the latter and the casing 9 engines, being especially designed for engines being supported on or above the base 1. The

15 for use in households, on farms, in dairies, casing 9 is connected with the water-space of and in small workshops, and in particular the boiler by a pipe 13, while the float-chamwhere water-supply connections are not feasiber 14, mounted on the upper end of this casble or possible. ing, is connected by a pipe 15 to the steam- The presentimprovements comprehend the space of the boiler. In this way the water- 20 employment in a single unitary apparatus levels in the casing and chamber of the feedcapable of being readily transported from water regulator correspond to those within place to place of a boiler, burners thereunder, the boiler. The pipe-sections S and 10 open an air-pump, an engine actuated by pressure into and lead from a central tubular portion from the boiler and itself constantly oper- 16, within casing 9, from which also leads an 25 ating the air -pump, means for supplying overflow-pipe 17, through which the Water is water to the boiler, a liquid-fuel compartdischarged back into the tank when the ment located within the base upon which the proper quota has been supplied to the boiler. boiler, burners, engine, and air-pump are The port-s into the feed-pipe 10 and overflow mounted, a passage-way leading from the air- 17 are controlled by a double piston-valve 18,

o pump through the liquid-fuel compartment, the raising and lowering of which is effected means for cutting off the air-supply when the by a float 19 within chamber 14E. As the float desired pressure has been attained in the descends by the lowering of the water-level boiler, and thereby diminishing or extinguishthe overflow through pipe 17 is cut off and the ing the flame of the burners, and means for water fed by the pump passes through pipe 35 reigniting such flame after the cessation 10 to the boiler; but when the proper quota thereof. of water is restored in the boiler the raising The invention will be hereinafter fully set of the float will close the port of pipe 10 and forth, and particularly pointed out in the open up that of pipe 17, allowing the water claims. to be returned to the water-compartment. In

0 In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis this overflow-pipe is a check-valve 17, noro aview in perspective. Fig. 2 is a central lonmally held to its seat by the pressure of a gitudinal sectional view with parts omitted spring, (or a weight may be used,) the tension and partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical of which spring is in excess of the boiler-pres sectional View on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a sure, to the end that said valve will be un- 5 horizontal sectional view on line a 4, Fig. 2. seated only when the port into pipe 17 is 5 Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line opened.

5 5, Fig. 4, with air-pump in position. Fig. 20 is an air-pump. It comprises astation- 6 is a vertical sectional View of the air-pump. ary housing 21, mounted on base 1, and an Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a eccentrically-arranged piston 22, fast on the 50 supporting-base in the form of a tank having engine-shaft. This piston is equipped with we a series of flexible wings 23. Air is taken in through the inlet'port 24 and is discharged through outlet-port 25. These two ports are relatively arranged so that one of the flexible wings will pass beyond the inlet-port, confining the air between itself and the preceding wing before the latter opens up the outletport. Hence by this arrangement and the eccentricity of the piston relative to its housing the air taken in by the Wings is compressed and discharged through the outlet-port. To this port is secured a pipe 26, which extends down into the oil-compartment 3, the lower end of said pipe being formed with slots 2'7 to admit air into the body of the oil below the level thereof. The air after being forced to the oil passesthrough a resistance consisting of cotton-waste 28, located between two perforated plates 29 and 30, then through a chamber 31, and then through a second resistance likewise composed of cotton-waste 32 between perforated plates 33 and 34, passing finally into a chamber 35, from which it. is conveyed by a pipe 36 along the outside of tank 1. This pipe at its other end enters the base-ring 37 of a series of circularly-arranged burners, supported by the base 1 beneath the boiler. These burners are surrounded by a casing 38, formed near its top with slots or openings 39 to admit air around the flame, the admission of which air being controlled bya slotted ring 40, encircling said casing. I find in actual practice that by passing the oil-ladened air first through a resistance the globules of oil are broken, that by then passing the charged air into the intermediate chamber a thorough intermingling is secured, and by finally passing the air through a second resistance the globules are further broken before the air passed through the burners. The air is charged with oil in proportion to the pressure, which latterchargesthe air with sufficientcarbon to make it burn like any other gas.

41 is a valve located over the inlet-port 24 of the housing of the air-pump, the same being designed to allow a volume of air to enter the pump only as the conditions in the boiler are suchas to require an increased combustion, the seating and unseating of the valve being regulated according as the steam in the boiler is above or below the required degree of pressure. This valve is pivoted at 42 to the housing 21, and to it is connected one end of a lever 43, the other end of which is shown as secured to a spring 44, (or it may be a Weight,) the function of which is to hold the valve from its seat. A link 45 connects the valve to a piston 46, movable in a casing 47, mounted above the housing, said piston being forced downward by pressure against a diaphragm 48. \Vater of condensation in a pipe 49, leading from the steam-space of the boiler, will when an excess of pressure exists in the boiler act on the diaphragm to efifect the seating of the valve. The opening of the latter freely admits air to the constantly-operated air-pump, which latter forces the air downinto the oil through the resistances and to the burners. The combustion being increased the steam-pressure in the boiler will be raised, and when the desired pressure is attained any excess will effect the closing of valve 41, thereby cutting off air to the air. pump, and consequently by decreasing the combustion prevent a further increase of steam-pressure. When the valve 41 is seated, a small quantity of air, sufficient to keep alive the flames, is admitted through a small opening 49, formed in the valve.

An auxiliary burner or pilot is provided for initially obtaining steam-pressure in the boiler and after relighting the flame of the burners, if it becomes extinguished while the air-supply is cut off. I have shown at 50 what is commonly called a plumbers pot,

which is supplied with oil through a pipe 51,

leading from an auxiliary compartment 52, into which air may be forced byhand or any suitable means. By means of a hand-valve 53 the passage of the oil to the auxiliary burner is controlled.

From what has been said the operation of an engine equipped with my improvements is obvious, and it will be especially observed that such operation is automatically controlled. Primarily the auxiliary burner is lighted for temporary use, and when suffl cient steam is generated in the boiler to start the operation of the engine (steam passing thereto through a pipe 54) the engine-shaft 5 will be operated. This operating the airpump, thelatter forces air through the oil and the resistances to the Bunsen burners, whereupon the same will beignited by the flame of the auxiliary burner, which latter may now be extinguished by turning the controlling-valve 53. The air-pu mp will continue to supply air to the burners, producing a very intense heat, until the desired steam-pressure is obtained in the boiler, whereupon the further admission of a volume of air to the pump is discontinued; but the flames, although diminished, are not necessarily extinguished, there being sufficient air drawn through the small port in the valve to maintain the flames until the steam-pressure in the boiler again lowers and allows valve 41 to be unseated and freely admit air to the pump. However, should the I flame be entirely extinguished it may again be relighted from the flame from the pilot or auxiliary burner. By this means a substantially uniform steam-pressure may be maintained in the boiler, the counter-pressure on the air-inlet valve of the air-pump being such that as soon as the pressure on the diaphragm falls below that of the counter-pressure the valve will open, allowing the flames to increase, and thereby raise the temperature in the boiler, which upon reaching the desired degree will force the air-inlet valve to its seat. The water-pump 6 being constantly operated water will be forced into the boiler when the float is loweredsufficiently to cause the valve 18 to free the port of feed-pipe '10,

but little space and may be readily removed or transported from place to place and located at any convenient point and the power utilized for any desired purpose. I have found in practice that the engine is very sensitive, and if when working under full load the latter be removed the pressure will not rise more than five pounds in the boiler, since a rise of one pound acts to close the valve of the airpump, thereby extinguishing or reducing the flame, leaving only the pilot-light.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, in a complete apparatus of the character specified, a base, an engine, a boiler, burners beneath the latter, an airpump constantly operated by said engine, all of said parts being supported by said base, an oil-compartment within said base into which said air-pu mp discharges below the liquid-level, a passage-way for the oil-charged air leading from said compartment to said burners, and means for controlling the ad mission of air to said pump according to the condition of the steam-pressure in the boiler, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination, in acomplete apparatus of the character specified, a base, an engine, a boiler, burners beneath the latter, an airpump constantly operated by said engine, all of said parts being supported by said base, an oil-compartment within said base into which said air-pump discharges below the liquid-level, a passage-way for the oil-charged air leading from said compartment to said burners, means for controlling the admission of air to said pump according to the condition of the steam-pressure in the boiler,there by regulating the flame of the burners, and means for restoring such flame in the event of its being extinguished during the operation, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, in a complete apparatus of the character specified, a base, an engine,

a boiler, burners beneath the latter, an airpump constantly operated by said engine, all of said parts being supported by said base, a passage-way within the base between said airpump and burners, a valve for controlling the admission of air to said air-pump, means for unseating such valve as the boiler-pressure lowers, a pilot for relighting the flame in the event of its extinguishment when the air-supply is cut off, and a pipe leading from the steam-space of the boiler for eifecting the seating of said valve when the desired steampressure is attained in the boiler, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, in a complete apparatus of the character specified, a base, an engine, a boiler, burners beneath the latter, an airpump constantly operated by said engine, all of such parts being supported by said base and a passage-way within the base between said air-pump and burners, a valve for controlling the admission of air to said air-pump, means tending to hold said Valve from its seat, a diaphragm, a pipe leading from the steamspace of the boiler to said diaphragm, and means interposed between said diaphragm and valve for effecting the seating of the lat ter when there is an excess pressure on said diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, in a complete apparatus of the character specified, a base,- an engine, a boiler, burners beneath the latter, an airpump constantly operated by said engine, all of said parts being supported by said base, an oil-compartment within the base into which said airpump discharges below the liquidlevel, a passage-way within the base for the oil-charged air leading from said compartment to said burners, a valve for controlling the admission of air to said air-pump, and a pipe leading from the'steam-space of the boiler for effecting the seating of said valve when the desired steam-pressure is attained in the boiler, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS G. MALTBY.

Witnesses:

GRAFTON L. MCGILL, FRANK S. MAGUIRE. 

